Village to Child Student Delawnte Simmons Finishes Second in Local MLK Oratoriacal Contest

February 5, 2005

COLUMBUS, OH - Ohio Dominican University Village to Child participant Delawnte Simmons, finished in 2nd Place in the Junior High Division of the Annual MLK Oratorical Contest. His second place finish affords him the opportunity to participate in the upcoming Statewide Competition on April 8, 2005 at the King Arts Complex.

According to Village to Child Director Tei Street, Simmons, who is 13 years old, was not always the inspirational young speaker who appeared in this year's contest. After struggling academically as a sixth-grader, Simmons was challenged by Street to work to his full potential and participate in the oratorical contest in 2003. The result was a transformation from disengaged student to city and state champion orator.

Simmons spoke before Governor Bob Taft on Martin Luther King Day and has become a distinguished young speaker. Recently, he spoke at a voting rally and was later quoted in a speech by State Representative Joyce Beatty.

This year's oratorical contest theme of "Voices Raised for Freedom" has prompted Simmons to consider the voices of the future and how his life could make a difference to others.

The audience was particularly moved by a section of his speech. "The eardrums of history ring with the many voices that have been raised for freedom. In the face of chaos, turmoil and discrimination, courageous men and women have always lifted their voices of struggle and protest to get the freedoms they were being denied. So today, I, Delawante Simmons, become one more voice in the eardrum of history that is raised for freedom," he said.

Through the help of Ohio Dominican University's Village to Child program, Street's guidance and this year's competition, Simmons has come to realize his passion for communication and hopes to continue on the same path in college. Simmons is a resident of Columbus (Zip code 43219) and is an eighth grade student at Mifflin International Middle School.

Village to Child is an academic school year program designed to raise the educational achievement of 100 middle and high school students who live in the neighborhoods which surround the college campus. Village to Child invites students to the campus to participate in programs focused on science, reading, math, the arts, and technology. Students come to the ODU campus one to three days per week to receive tutoring, mentoring, and cultural enrichment. ODU students are recruited in the fall to serve as mentors and tutors.